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Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, the number two person in the Justice Department, resigned his position effective at the end of the summer. According to an AP story (here), the official reason is to pursue higher-paying opportunities in the private sector to pay for the college tuition of his children. Another reason advanced by aides, however, is his anger at being linked to the firing of eight (or nine) U.S. Attorneys for political reasons. McNulty testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in February 2007 (statements here and here) about the firings, and his testimony about the reasons may not have been exactly as the White House wanted. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales issued a statement (here) thanking McNulty and including the "best of luck in your future endeavors" wish that may not be entirely sincere: "Paul is an outstanding public servant and a fine attorney who has been valued here at the Department, by me and so many others, as both a colleague and a friend. He will be missed. On behalf of the Department, I wish him well in his future endeavors." Whether the resignation means any change in the direction of the U.S. Attorney firings investigation is a different question, because it's unlikely McNulty will contradict anything he has said earlier. (ph)